Roof construction



Aug. 4, 1931.

H. W. REEL ROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed May 31, 1929 INVENTOR HERBERT m/QEEL.

Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE HERBERT W. REEL, OI HINSDALE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '1'0 UNITED STATES GYPSUM COMPANY, OFOHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01' ILLINOIS ROOF CONSTRUCTION Application filed Kay 31, 1929. Serial 1%. seam.

gypsum or other suitable material, are gener-' ally supported at the ends of thetile upon steel purlins. The space between the tile is usually filled with a grout such as a mixture of gypsum stucco and water. It is desirable that the tile besecurely anchored to the 111- lins so that tornadoes or other distur ing causes will not lift the tiles from the urlins. It is also-desirable to have the space tween the ends of the tiles so arranged that the grout will readily flow in under the action of gravity to completely fill said space. It is also desirable that the precast tiles be pro- 3 vided with reinforcing members which present a maximum bearing surface for the ends of the tile.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a precast tile for use on roofs which as will be firmly anchored to the purlins.

Another object ofthe invention isto provide a precast tile the ends of which are beveled to provide a space between the ends of the abutting tiles which will readily permit grout to flow in and fill said space under the action of gravity.

IA further object of the invent-ion is to provide a precast tile for roof and'floor construction which has reinforcing members providing a mam'mum bearing surface adj acent the abutting ends of adjoining tiles; also to improve building constructions in other respects hereinafter specified and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying'drawings forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a sectional, perspective view of a portion of a roof employing my improved precast tiles,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the tile of the present invention,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view through a pair of the improved tiles in position,

nels 11 are usua Figure 4 is'a fragmentary elevation of one end of the tile,' v Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of tile used for floor construction, and

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of the tile shown in Figure 5 as applied to a floor.

The supporting members for a roof usually consist of inclined beams 10, often in the form of steel channels, and smaller channels or purlins 11 are supported transversely on and secured to the beams 10, said channels 11 spanning the distance between a pair of adjoining beams 10. In my preferred construction, the upper flanges 12 of the chany directed upwardly along the incline so that the tile can be readily attached thereto, but. said flanges may be turned downwardly if desired.

My improved tile 15 is preferably precast from a material such as gypsum and consists of a flat rectangular slab of the material having embedded reinforcement 16 of any desired construction, sucli as an electrically welded wire mat having longitudinal and cross wires. The ends of the tile 15 are pro-' vided with beveled edges 17, the two abutting ends 17 of a given tile being substantially parallel. Each end of my tile is also preferably provided with a transversely extending groove 18 along the under surface of each end, said grooves being adapted to receive the upper flanges 12 of the purlins. The purlins 11 are spaced apart a sufiicient distance so that a space 19 is left between the ends of adjoining tiles and grouting grooves 20 are moulded into the upper corners of the tile. Grout 21, usually formed of a mixture of gypsum stucco and water, is then poured into the spaces 19 and groove 20, the beveled edges 17 serving to cause the space 19 to be inclined der's formed on'the'tiles.

upwardly and thus be at a favorable angleto vpermit the grout to flow downwardly under the action of gravity until it strikes the upper One of the salient features of my invention embedded in one end of the tile 15. The clip 23 also has a reversely bent attaching flange 26 adapted to partially enclose the upper flange 12 of the purlin and thus firmly attach thetile to the purlins. There are referably two clips 23 on one end of each ti e, and the other end of a given tile interlocking with the clipped end of the adjoining tile by means of the beveled surface 17. Thus the beveled surface 17 not only provides a favorable-inclination for pouring the grout but also serves to interlock one tile with another with V a minimum number of clips and so as to prevent the tile from being lifted from the purlins 11 by tornadoes or other extraneous forces. In the lower end of each tile, a slot 28 is provided which straddles the clip 23 of the adjoining tile, and permits maximum bearing surface of the ends of the tile upon the flange 12 of the purlins.

When the tiles are to be used for floors, the outstanding ends of the clips 23 are split to form one section 2612 which is bent rear wardly to partially enclose the upper flange 12a of the purlin 11 while the other section or flange 30 of said clip extends outwardly in the same plane with the clip 23 and serves to form an additional bearing support for the end of the adjoining tile 15a. A suitable groove or notch 31 is provided in the bottom of the adjacent tile in order to receive this outstandingflange 30 of the clip. With this construction, the tile may be used on' floors and suflicient bearing surface for the ends of the tiles is provided even when the upper flange 12a of the purlin is very narrow and when the purlins 11a are irregularly spaced.

lVhile the foregoing description represents a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself precisely to these details, since manifestly, the same may be considerably varied without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my ii'iveniion, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: r 1. In a roof construction, a plurality of metallic purlins arranged at an angle to the upper edge of the adjoining tile to form an interlocking connection to prevent the displacement of said tiles from said purlins.

2. In a roof construction, a plurality of substantially parallel support members, re; cast tile supported by said support-mem ers and spanning the distance therebetween, clips embedded in said tiles and having sections extending from said tiles, said sections being adapted to provide bearing surface for a part of the adjoining tile, said sections also having portions adapted to engage with said supporting members to prevent displacement of said tiles from the latter.

3. In a roof construction, a plurality of metallic purlins arranged at an angle to the horizontal, outstanding flanges on said purlins, precast slabs supported by said purlins with each end of each slab resting directly on a purlin, a clip of a length less than the length of said slab and embedded in the up per end of each slab, said clip being adapted to engage the flange of a purlin so as to secure said'slab to said purlin, said roof construction having grouting grooves formed by the ends of the slabs and extending upwardly at an angle to the horizontal from a point intermediate the edges of said flange, and a reinforcing mat embedded in said slab independently of said clips.

' HERBERT'W, REEL.

horizontal, outstanding flanges on said pur 

